Honma scandal to accelerate decline of Abe Cabinet approval rate

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Honma scandal to accelerate decline of Abe Cabinet approval rate

The Abe Cabinet, whose approval rate has been already dropping, is suffering from a blow due to a scandal involving the Tax Commission Chair Honma Masaaki.

"I wonder if the Abe Cabinet can survive until the House of Councilors election next summer," said a well-known political commentator.

Increasingly alarmed by the scandal's adverse effect on the Abe Cabinet, Liberal Democratic Party officials have felt that something must be done to overcome this.

The Abe Cabinet started in September with an approval rate of 60 to 70 percent. However, the fact that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo reinstated the "postal rebels" in the LDP and that the government has manipulated public opinion by planting pre-scripted questions in town meetings has drawn strong criticism of the cabinet, causing a rapid fall in its approval rate.

According to a recent Jiji Press survey, the approval rate dropped to 41.9 percent.

Concerning the Honma scandal, Abe defended him from first to last, despite the fact that even within the ruling parties Honma's resignation had been called for.

In the background of Abe's stance is that he appointed Honma after rejecting a Finance Ministry candidate proposal in order to impress the public with his initiative.

Honma has been a leading advocate of tax breaks benefiting large corporations since he was a private-sector representative of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy.

Abe chose him because he was ideal in implementing Abe's economic growth strategy aimed at increasing the profits of large corporations.

Abe cannot evade his responsibility in appointing Honma as the head of the tax panel.

The Abe Cabinet is pushing ahead with massive tax increases by totally abolishing the fixed-rate tax cuts in income and residential taxes, and plans to enter into full-fledged discussions on an increase in the consumption tax rate immediately after the House of Councilors election.

The Honma scandal has revealed that the leading advocate of the massive tax increases enjoyed exclusive privileges, and this fact has provoked the strong public indignation.

The public feels indignation at Honma's unfairness in that he provides large-corporations with enormous benefit, imposes tax increases on the public, and has been granted the privilege of living in a luxury residence for government officials located in a fashionable district of downtown Tokyo.

However, there is no indication that Abe understands the cause of this public indignation.
- Akahata, December 22, 2006